Team Herald
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ARPORA: Grandmasters Arjun Erigaisi and R Praggnanandhaa played out solid draws, while P Harikrishna survived a tense encounter to reach the tiebreaks of the fourth round at the FIDE World Cup 2025 here on Wednesday.
Arjun, with the white pieces, agreed to a draw after 36 moves against experienced Hungarian GM Peter Leko, while Praggnanandhaa split the point with GM Daniil Dubov after 30 moves. Harikrishna, too, held firm to draw in 38 moves.
GM Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara, who had won with black on Tuesday, became the first player to qualify for the round of 16 after forcing a threefold repetition and drawing in just 20 moves against Alexey Sarana. He will now face the winner of the match between Harikrishna and Nils Grandelius of Sweden.
Also advancing was two-time champion Levon Aronian, who drew his second game in 35 moves with black against Radoslaw Wojtaszek.
Among the five Indians in contention, all eyes were on Arjun and Praggnanandhaa on the top boards. Arjun chose the Nimzo-Indian Defence with white against Leko and appeared well-prepared, gaining time on the clock after 16 moves. However, the Hungarian defended solidly, prompting the top-ranked Indian to trade queens on move 20 after a long think. Arjun tried to press further but could not find a breakthrough.
“I am getting more and more into my preparations, and I wasn’t really afraid of Arjun’s opening line. I knew that this b5 that I played is quite solid and there cannot be any miracle in this position. But over the board, when Arjun is blitzing all his moves, I know there is always some pressure. But it was more or less equal all the time,” said Leko after the match.
Praggnanandhaa also expressed satisfaction with his 30-move draw with black against Dubov. The Indian will again start with black pieces in the first tiebreak game against the former World Rapid Champion.
In his clash with Grandelius, Harikrishna was under pressure despite playing white but remained composed and forced a draw in a bishop-and-pawn endgame.
Meanwhile, World Junior Champion Pranav V, playing black, bowed out of the tournament after losing his second game to Nodirbek Yakubboev of Uzbekistan in 38 moves.
